FOI - Free School Meals programme posters [Sep 2024]

Request: 

In respect of the recent wave of adverts on the tube and in other outlets (attached) referring to the Mayor’s Free School Meals programme please confirm the following:

1. a list of the outlets where this advertising has been placed (across all forms of media, ie a list of radio stations, newspapers, London Underground etc)
2. An estimate of the number of posters printed for the campaign
3. An estimate of the number of these posters placed on the TfL network 
4. the cost of this advertising campaign so far (from 4 May to 18 September 2024), an estimate will do
5. the date when this advertising campaign will end
6. the total budget for the whole advertising scheme
7. the budgeted spend remaining up until the end of the campaign from today (13 December)
8. Please detail why City Hall has considered it to be appropriate to distribute these posters now specifically featuring a photo of the mayor and reference to him was considered appropriate for distribution now but not during the period March 2024-May 2024.
    

Our response to your request is as follows:

The GLA has a responsibility to inform Londoners about major policies that affect them, ensure Londoners are aware of the support available to them, and update on what the Mayor and City Hall are doing to tackle priority issues impacting Londoners, such as the Cost of Living crisis.. 

A list of the outlets where this advertising has been placed (across all forms of media, i.e. a list of radio stations, newspapers, London Underground etc)

• London Underground network, including the DLR

An estimate of the number of posters printed for the campaign and placed on the TfL network:

• 564 posters were printed

The cost of this advertising campaign so far (from 4 May 2024 to 18 September 2024), an estimate will do:

• There is no cost to the GLA for displaying posters on the TfL network. Therefore, the only cost incurred is printing. The total cost of printing was £614.04.
   

The date when this advertising campaign will end?

• Posters will be displayed until 27 September.
• The posters supplement the outreach activity undertaken by the GLA to support schools. This activity raises awareness of Universal Free School Meals, including the ongoing requirement for parents to continue applying for Pupil Premium to ensure their child’s school gets all the support to which it is entitled.

The total budget for the whole advertising scheme:

• The marketing budget for this activity is £614.04

The budgeted spend remaining up until the end of the campaign from today 18 September

•  There is no budgeted further spend for a campaign on the provision of free school meals.

Please detail why City Hall has considered it to be appropriate to distribute these posters now specifically featuring a photo of the mayor and reference to him was considered appropriate for distribution now but not during the period March 2024 - May 2024.

• The poster coincides with primary school children returning to school after the summer holidays, and is therefore relevant to parents, guardians, and teachers at this time.
• All advertising activity, across all areas of policy, was limited during the pre-election period. This period began on Tuesday 19 March 2024 and ended after 2 May 2024, with the election of the Mayor and the London Assembly.
• The poster helps make parents, guardians, carers and schools aware of the full benefits of this policy, including the important need to continue registering for Government Funded Free School Meals to receive extra funding to which that children may be entitled.